[thefred]

I am a new owner of a silver pearl redline. i noticed the door panel and the quarter panel have two different shades when the sun shines on it. i checked the forum for pictures of other silver skys and had noticed it in the pictures. this is the only color i have noticed it on. i know it isn't just on my car, and wondering if anyone that owns a silver pearl had noticed the different color . it is very annoying.

 

[GS Stage 1]

Usually the observed color variance is when the sun shines at an angle on the Sky. Because the plastic front fascia, plastic rear fascia, and fiberglass front fenders will all reflect light a little differently with the heavy metallic paint. My wife's forest green has the same effect. Even my chili pepper red Sky will show a little variation in angled sunlight, and that is a flat paint with no metallic.

I have not noticed a variation from sheet metal to sheet metal. So if you see a discrepancy from the door to the rear quarter right next to it, you may want ask your dealership about that.

 

[fershy]

I was concerned about this at one time too. I have since concluded that it is only the angle of light reflecting off the various panels that causes this optical illusion.
fershy

 

[CarbonTech]

actually here is my theory,

i worked at saturn for almost 2 years, we had or went through 7 or 8 silver sky's and 4 of them had the same symptoms your talking about where the silver was actually a different shade of silver, 1 blue one had the same symptoms as well.

i have a black sky redline 2008 i recently had it repainted by a very high end body shop that has been around here for over 60 years, when they had there paint expert overview the current paint job he had informed me that the black on the car was 3 different shades , the front bumper the doors and back bumper were all different shades of black. he told me that from GM he has seen a few other cars with the same symptoms including a few solstices. So i think it is GM who is responsible for these terrible paint jobs, i had my sky repainted the factory color black onyx with 6 extra clear coats applied, GM covered my repaint due to my complaint and that my dealer scratched the rear bumper on delivery and the total cost was $8900.

So no I don't think it is an optical illusion of the paint, I think it is GM's poor quality paint jobs, and so does my body shop who is one of the top 10 best in canada.

OH AND BTW only some of the silver sky's had these symptoms as were other silver ones didn't

 

[SkyPainter]

In most of the factories they repaint a panel if has a defect on it. (Dirt, craters, mars etc.) Not exactly sure what is done at Willmington as it has been a while since I was there. The new panel may be off color a little. The dealer can check this with a paint film gauge such as an Elcometer. It measures the total dry thckness of all the layers and any galvinized coating on the vehicle. The usual thickness (general for most vehicles any make) is: Galivinized .8 - 1.0 mil), Ecoat (.8 -1 mil), Prime (.8 -1 mil), Basecoat (.6 - 1.1 mil -color dependent) and Clearcoat ( 1.8 - 2.2 mil). therfore you should have a general ball park reading of 5 - 6 mil total. If your reading is 8 -10 you have a repaint of that panel. They need to measure the panel in question and the others on the car. Horizontals usually have a thicker coat than the verticals.

 

[GaryH]

For whatever reason, my silver pearl is the same way. There were some post about this same thing many months ago. As I recall, many silver pearl owners have noticed the same thing. If you body panels don't match, just stand in a different position and look at it from different angles until they look like they match.

 

[snaponbob]

I have one as well. Simple solution -------------- squint your eyes. Better yet, just get in the car and drive it. Poof ------ problem solved !!!!!!!!!!!!!:jester::jester:

 

[xmicro_Redline]

My panels look like a dead match to me. I never noticed any inconsistencies. But I have a first run Redline built in Jan 07. I know they changed the paint process some from then to now for a reason I cannot remember. But outside of the lighting due to the enormous curvature of the rear quarters and fenders, mine does not have the problem you speak of. :dunno:

 

[Bogie]

All panels are painted at the same time together, for each car. They are then routed to the proper station for fit on the designated car. If the correct panel is attached to the proper car, they should all match. Of course, I guess it's possible to mix 'em up at assembly.

 

[ceeker]

I still think the lighting has a major effect on what you see.

I have checked mine in good daylight lighting and can't see any differences.

In some lighting the doors look like a completely different shade.

The reflection on this color absolutely makes the colors look different.

Not to say this is always the case, but check it in different lighting before you assume the colors wrong.

 

[thefred]

I guess i'll live with it. the last thing i would want to do is to have the car repainted. i checked the car with the sun going down, and the paint matches. it is just when there is direct sun on it.

 

[oakfarm]

I have noticed mis-matched paint on mine under different lighting conditions but, at least the windshield surround matches the rest of the car.

 

[compdoc777]

No you are correct the paint does not match properly. The panels are painted at different times using different media below them. The bumpers are have a bumpy under layer giving them that cheap crappy GM look. The side panels are painted with another media at a different time. The only thing painted at the same time would be the hood, trunk, body and doors. This is why they don't match and generally look like crap.

I looked at all the new car on the lot and noticed the same thing. Except the Astra or the Vue and Outlook. They all had better matching paint jobs the Sky's not at all.

GM paint sucks to begin with. Another reason they are failing I was looking at the paint on the new 40-80K vettes and an saw flaws and orange peel everywhere. No wonder ever Japanese automaker is kicking ass!

I think it is funny how my Acura RSX from the dealer has all matching panels in every light. Even once I modified it with front and rear bumpers and custom hood the painter was able to match it perfectly without blending. I won shows with that paint and the OEM judges and people at major
car shows would ask is that custom paint on the whole car because simply the paint from Japan is million times better!

That might be my next upgrade is to get the paint to match. I have had my car at three car shows the main question I am asked. Did you know your paint is three different colors?

Thanks GM for such crappy paint and thanks for offering to do nothing about except tell me to look at the rest of the cars on the lot to see what a POS lousy job you do on paint!

So to answer your question the paint does not match up. Will GM do anything about it? NO!

I will never buy another GM car EVER! :cheers:

 

[snaponbob]

For what it's worth ---

1) The panels CAN'T be painted as a batch as the rear fenders and rocker panels are spot welded to the basic body shell.
2) Corvettes had orange peel issues do to the gel coat of the fiber glass. Over time the body issues have been addressed leaving a much smoother than in the past. The paint can be no smoother than the surface it is applied to.
3) My car was repainted for various reasons. It's silver pearl. ALL the panels were obviously painted at the same time. Guess what? In bright sunlight the panels don't all match. It's very subtle, but it's there. Some eyes are more sensitive than others.
4) GM paint sucks? Get real close to a new Ferrari 599. Then we can discuss GM paint.

 

[smjp]

I had to have my silver pearl mirrors repainted because the dealer put razer cuts in them when installing the clear bra. The body shop they took them to said the mirrors were 3 shades differant from one another. Funny neither my wife or I notice the shade differance.

 

[uranium-238]

My civic was galaxy grey, and had the same problem, different panels were different shades. Oddly, the pre-painted lip spoiler I bought from Honda matched the frint bumper perfectly. Also, I've yet to see a new Honda that didn't have a very slight orange peel look. I just figured it was their paint and didn't worry about it. My mom's 01 Accord has it, my civic had it, various friends hondas have it too. Not a nice smooth coat of paint among them. I'd never by a black Honda. *shudders*

Compdoc, you really need to open your eyes some. Many of the things you fault GM for are also done by the Japanese companies you enjoy so much. Some things just aren't that big a deal, whether it's Hondas orange-peel paint or a few mis-matched bumpers on a Sky. Everybody is going to have their problems.

 

[CarbonTech]

yup the gm paint jb does suck mine was 3 colors also, glad i had it repainted

 

[Bogie]

The human perception of shade differences can vary significantly. Note that square A and square B in the following are the same shade/color.

 

[Maybe]

Bogie - do you mean the letter A and the letter B are the same shade/color or the squares are the same shade/color.

If you mean the squares - I'm more wasted than I think.

rhys

 

[compdoc777]

My civic was galaxy grey, Compdoc, you really need to open your eyes some. Many of the things you fault GM for are also done by the Japanese companies you enjoy so much. Some things just aren't that big a deal, whether it's Hondas orange-peel paint or a few mis-matched bumpers on a Sky. Everybody is going to have their problems.

Whutt??

I have had three Hondas one Acura. My paint was perfect the body lines were perfect. Bad paint orange peel? Maybe you bought used elcheapo blue titled repainted units from Mexico or may you are confuse with Hyundia or something from Korea or Vietnam.

I have friends who show with me in RSXs, TSXs, RLs and TL's Even honda Civics durde dur.... :lol:

I have yet to see a bad paint job from the factory on one of them all the way back to the 90's

But wait don't take my word for it. Check out my website: Matts Performance and check out the shows I have won and pictures of my flawless factory paint. Check out my team site allstars.com.

Since I have been showing cars and winning best of show or first in national shows. I might know what I am talking about when I say the paint on GM cars is CRAP! period!

Maybe I should close my eye's so I don't have to be disgusted every time I look at my car or even the other cars on the lot as the Saturn/GM people stated I do. :skep:

I think we all with paint that does not match up perfectly need to bring a class action law suit up on this issue.

Hell, I have paint gun rings in my paint. It's easy to see the little round gun marks. They have already repainted my rear hatch painted, because you could see 280 grit sand marks in the paint! Not the clear coat the paint!

SO you were saying???